TRANSCRIPT
Indigenous Yes campaign leaders have broken their silence over the 14 October referendum, describing the result as "shameful".
An unsigned, open letter says after a week of silence, they wanted to respond to the majority of Australians who voted against the proposal to enshrine an Indigenous Voice to Parliament in the Constitution.
SBS has voiced the letter.
"In refusing our peoples' right to be heard on matters that affect us, Australia chose to make itself less liberal and less democratic. It is clear no reform of the constitution that includes our peoples will ever succeed. This is the bitter lesson from 14 October."
The latest count from the referendum shows the national No vote at 60.69 per cent and Yes at 39.31 per cent.
Every state turned down the proposal, with the ACT the only jurisdiction to back the Yes case.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese acknowledges the disappointment of Yes campaigners, but says Australia's choice must be respected.
"It is a difficult time for Indigenous Australians, but we respect the outcome in our democracy, and I have done that. What we will continue to do (is) we'll continue to work on closing the gap."
The letter, which does not name its specific authors, says they expected to hear post-referendum commentary absolving No voters.
"The truth is that the majority of Australians have committed a shameful act whether knowingly or not, and there is nothing positive to be interpreted from it."
There was little that could be done after the federal Opposition announced it was opposing the Voice, the letter states.
"The support for the referendum collapsed from the moment Liberal and National Party leaders, Mr Dutton and Mr Littleproud, chose to oppose the Voice to Parliament proposal after more than a decade of bipartisan support."
The letter describes the level of misinformation surrounding the campaign that led up to the vote as "unprecedented", saying it had "unleashed a tsunami of racism".
The letter also criticised media organisations for what it claims were lies in political advertising and communication.
"We know that the mainstream media failed our people, favouring 'a false sense of balance' over facts."
Auntie Janine Yeatman is a Traditional Owner from north Queensland and has spoken to ABC Radio.
"A lot of people saying there wasn't enough time, there wasn't enough explanation around Australia to explain what this referendum was all about. But the majority of us here at Yarrabah, we understood it. It wasn't to divide us! No way! It was to unite us. And also to get that bloody recognition of We are the First Nations people of this country."]]
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